Student Essentials For Starting Hair College: Everything You Need For Your Kit Bag

Starting hair college this autumn? If you’ve just discovered your passion for the world of professional hair, hair college is where it all begins! You’ll be learning your first cutting techniques and experimenting with colour, plus mastering a few blowdries. There’s a lot to be excited about! And before you head into your first day of hair college, there’s one key thing you need to have sorted… your kitbag! This will include your essential tools such as styling products, brushes and a few extras you might not have thought about. So, we’ve put together our student essentials to help build up your kit so you have everything you need without spending a fortune.

Your scissors will quickly become one of the most used tools in your kit, so choosing a pair that feels comfortable in your hands is key. While it can be tempting to go for the cheapest option as a student, investing in a good-quality pair will make all the difference when it comes to precision and control. The Scorpion Academy Scissors are the perfect student-friendly option, available in a range of sizes and designs to give you the performance you need without breaking the bank.

Top tip: Take a visit to one of our Alan Howard stores and our friendly store staff will be more than happy to let you have a feel of the scissors before making your purchase!

You can never have too many combs and brushes in your kit bag! But, making sure you have all the necessary brushes and combs is vital before starting college. Firstly, a cutting comb is essential for precision cutting, while a tail comb will become your bestie for sectioning, partings and colour work. You’ll also want a paddle or detangling brush for everyday brushing, alongside a selection of round brushes for creating volume and movement during blowdries. Having a variety of sizes will give you more flexibility when working with different hair lengths and types.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed about where to start when choosing your brushes, we recommend the Mane Tame brush collection, which offers a wide variety of brushes at a student-friendly price. From here, you can begin to see what suits you and what doesn’t, without breaking the bank!

A reliable hairdryer and styler are two of the biggest essentials in your kit, especially when you’re spending long days practising your blowdries and styling techniques.

The Mane Tame Sky Hair Dryer is a great student option, combining powerful performance with a lightweight, ergonomic design that makes it ideal for those long college days. For styling, the Mane Tame Envy or Envy Max Wide Plate stylers are perfect for creating those sleek finishes. Plus, you can use them to add curls or waves when training.

If you have a little more room in your budget, the Alfa Italia Multi-Curl Styler is a perfect all-rounder. With three interchangeable wands, you can create a variety of different curl or wave patterns from one compact styling tool. Even better? It comes in a handy, vegan leather case, making it a dream to carry around.

We can’t express this enough, but your time at college isn’t just for learning skills, it’s also the perfect time to start building your personal brand. Yes, even in college!

Getting into the habit of photographing and filming your work from the beginning means you can quickly build up a portfolio to showcase your progress, and eventually, your work to potential clients. To get you started with this, we have some content creation must-haves to make taking content that little bit easier.

This is a compact, easy addition to your kitbag for creating brighter, better-quality photos and videos wherever you are. Because believe us, overhead lighting isn’t always going to work!

Take your content one step further with the suction tripod that makes filming hands-free content that much easier. Simply attach the tripod to a mirror, window, or other smooth surfaces, so you can quite literally capture everything.

While your college will most likely provide your colour equipment, having a few essentials in your kit means you can work with the tools you’re most comfortable using. Make sure to have the basics covered, including tint brushes, bowls, gloves and gowns, as well as a supply of foils. To go that extra step, a colour chart is another handy addition to your kit bag, especially when getting to grips with colour theory and formulation.

Once you start building your kit, you’ll quickly realise just how many tools you need to carry around. A durable hairdressing kit bag with multiple compartments will keep everything organised and make it much easier to find exactly what you need. Trust us, you’ll thank yourself when you’re not digging through your entire bag looking for a tail comb!

Having a few reliable haircare and styling products in your kit will make it much easier to create different finishes when keeping the hair you’re creating looking its best. Products such as mousse, heat protectant, texture spray and hairspray are products you’ll find yourself reaching for time and time again. For affordable, salon-quality styling, we recommend trying Shed. Standing for Salon Hair Every Day, Shed has a wide range of products designed to work across different hair types and styles, making it the perfect option for building up your kit.

We know starting college can be expensive, so remember, you don’t need to buy everything at once. Don’t forget some of these top tips when keeping your spending under control:

Get your essential tools first, then build your kit as you progress through college, as you’ll discover what you use most.

Things like gloves, foils, and combs are used constantly, so buying larger quantities can help bring the cost down.

Don’t forget! Sign up for a student account at Alan Howard to receive 15% off your shop, plus a good bag to welcome you into the professional industry.

Starting college is a super exciting start to your hairdressing career, and most importantly? Enjoy it! You’re starting the journey towards becoming a professional, so make the most of every opportunity to experiment and find your own style.

Don’t forget to shop all of your essentials online or in-store at Alan Howard, as we’re here every step of the way to support you on your journey!